Improvement in wheelbarrows



J. J. VAN KERSEN. 1

Wheelbarrow.

No. 45,558. Patente d Dec. 27,- .1864.

/MJM

, N- PETERS. FNOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHXNGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. VAN KERSEN, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN WHEELBARROWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 45,658, dated December 27, 1864.

T0 aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that 1, JAMES J. VAN KERSEN, of the village and county of Kalamazoo, in the State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement on the Common Wheelbarrow; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view. longitudinal vertical section.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

This invention relates to a new mode of constructing a barrow, by making the box part separate and adjustable on the frame, so as to be enabled to load or unload the said box in any required relative position also in providing therewith a folding head-frame, to be erected when the nature of the load requires the box to be removed altogether; and the better to enable others skilled in this branch to construct and use my invention, I will now proceed more particularly to describe the same.

A A represent the sides, and B B B B the girts, of my wheelbarrow frame, the legs, braces, wheel, and axle of the same not requiring any special reference, as they do not differ from those in common use.

In place ofthe usual head-board attached to the fixed double posts or standards to receive loose side-boards I provide a folding head-frame, (marked (3,) consisting of vertical and horizontal slats, which frame I hinge to the front girt in such manner that when turned down and resting upon the frame-g'rts it will be flush with the sides A A of the barrowframe.

The head-frame O is supported when erected and in use by hook stay-rods D l), which when the frame is folded down are hooked into eyes in the sides A A, where they are out of the way.

Fig. 2 is a To the under side of the two middle girts, B B, I attach a rail, which has an iron,socket-, S, inserted in the center, to receive the swivelpin P, which is attached to the bottom of the box, (shown in Fig. 1 by broken lines,) and represented as turned round at a right angle with the frame.

To remove friction in revolving the loaded box the shoulder of the swivel pin may be left a little long and work on an iron plate, or a circle iron, E, may be screwed to the bottom of the box and move on iron strips 011 the girts. A spring-catch (the handle of which is seen at H) takes into holes in thecircle iron and holds the box firmly in any required position.

The main advantages of this improvemtnt are that the box is rendered tight by nail- 7 ing the sides and head-broad to the bottom, and is enabled to carry without spilling, many substances impossible so to carry with tie ordinary loose side-boards, and also that the box can be turned on the frame so as to be loaded or discharged, right or left of anarrow path which is a great convenience in many gardening and other operations. All that is necessary is to liberate the spring-catch by pressing on the handleH and turn the box in any required position. When the box is not required, the split coteril is taken out from the swivel-pin, and the box is lifted oil from the frame, and the head-frame 0 turned up and secured by the stay rods D D, when the barrow is ready for carrying wood or any other long articles laid across.

\Vhat 1 claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combined arrangement of the revolving box and folding head-frame, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

JAMES J. VAN KERSEN.

Witnesses GEORGE JOHNSON, J AMEs A. MINER. 

